Apparatus for tunneling rock.



. H. P. SUTTON.

APPARATUS FOR TUNRELING BOOK.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7,1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

. Attorneys HARVEY F. SUTTON, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

APPARATUS FOR TUNNELING ROCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. so, 1912.

Application filed March 7, 1911. Serial No. 612,740.

T 0 all whom it may concern I Be it known'that I, HARVEY F. SUTTON, aicitizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the countyof Salt Lake Fl and State of Utah, have invented a new and usefulApparatus for Tunneling Rock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and use ful apparatus for tunnelingrock.

The principal object of the invention is to subject rock alternately tothe action of opposite extremes of temperature, it hav ing been foundthat when rock is first heated and then suddenly chilled, it becomessoftened or partly disintegrated so as to be easily removed by hand orby pneumatic tools or the like. v

Another objectis to provide new and novel means whereby the rock. can betreated in the manner set forth.

{Vith the foregoing and other objectsin view the invention consists insetting up against the face of the rock a heater of such form as [0subject the rock to a high temperature, means being provided where bythe heat can be quickly cut off and a blast of cold air or any otherchilling me dium directed against the heated surface so as to quicklylower the temperature thereof.

in the accompanying drawings, apparalus to be used in carrying out theprocess,

has been illustrated;

In said drawings :--Figure l is a perspective view of the head of theapparatus set up for use and showing the various pipe connections, aportion of said head being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in section of said head and portions of the pipes.Fig. 3 is a transverse section through a modified form of head.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates ahollow head of sheetmetal or other suitable material, said head being ofany proportions desired and having its advancing or working face formedwith a large number of small openings such as indicated at 2. One sideportion of the head may be mounted on a pivot stud 3 and a socket- 4 maybe formed in the upper portion of the head and in vertical alinementwith said stud, for the reception of a jack 5 designed to engage the topof the tunnel, this stud cooperating with the stud 3 to permit the headto be swung laterally away from the end wall of the tunnel.

The head 1 is provided with an inlet pipe 6 preferably located at thecenter thereof and provided with branches 7 and 8, the branch 7 beingconnected to a valve casing 9 from which extends a fuel pipe 10. Thispipe is directed along one side of the head and thence abate and inclgse proximity to a fuel cup 11 carried by the head. A. connecting pipe12 Off any desired length is coupled to the pipe and a flexible tube 13serves. to connectthis pipe 12 with a main pipe 14' arranged within thetunnel and connected to a fuel tank not shown. Pipe 12 is to be of suchlength to allow the flexible tube 13 to lie at a point where it will notbe affected by the heat generated. The branch 8 of pipe 6' is connected,by means of a pipe 15 of suitable length, to a flexible tube 16 which inturn is coupled to a 'main air supply pipe 1? extending from suitableair forcing means not shown. Valves l8 and 19 may be connected to thepipes 14 and 17 respectively or may be located at" any other pointsdesired, these valves being employed for the purpose of controlling thesupply of fuel and air to the head 1. y

In using the apparatus, the head 1 is set up' close to the rock tobeacted on, lugs 3 being mounted on the bottom of the tunnel while thejack 5, which is mounted in the socket 4, is shifted into engagementwith the top of the tunnel, thus cooperating with the lug to form meansfor holding the head'in. upright position although permitting it toswing back against the side of the tunnel. Air is admitted in apredetermined quantity to the interior of the head 1 and fuel is thendirected into the pipe 10, itmixing with the air within the pipe 6 andin the head 1. By burning fuel in the cup 11, the contents .of pipe 10can be vaporized, this vapor mixing with the air in pipe 6 and forming ahighly combustible gas which will escape, in minute jets, through theopenings 2- where itwill be ignited, these ets being directed againstthe rock forming the wall of the tunnel and heating said rock to. a hightemperature. The supply of fuel is then cut ofiby means of valve 18 orany other valve which may be provided and air, in a cold state, isdirected into the head 1 and escapes through the openings 2 into contactwith the heated rock' the same transverse area as the tunnel or can bemade much smaller than the tunnel if deemed desirable.

In Fig.3 a inodified form of head has been disciosed, this head whichhasbeen indicated at 20, being formed with a concaved working face 21 inwhich apertures 22 are produced. This head has an inlet pipe 23corresponding with the pipe 6 but to which only an airsupply pipe isconnected. The heat to be used 111 connection with this form of head isgenerated electrically, one means being the provision of electrodes 24at opposite sides of the head so that arcing Wlll occur between the saidconcaved face 21 and the surface of the rock. After the rock has beenheated in this manner, the current may be cut .ofi' and air directedagainst the rock from the interior of the liead 20.

While the apparatus has been described for use in tunneling throughrock, it is to be understood that by the term rock, is meant any,non-combustible depbsit of a silicious nature.

The head 1, it Will be noted, not only constitutes means fordistributing heat, as well as jets of a chilling medium, upon thesurface of the substance being acted on, but also constitutes areflector to reflect heat against face of tunnel.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatusfor tunneling rock, including a hollow head having a mixingchamber therein, said head having a working face formed with a pluralityof minute apertures, means for pivotally supporting the head close tothe surface to be acted upon, means for directing fuel into the head,valves for controlling the passage of fuel through said means, and meansfor directing air under pressure into the head.

2. Apparatus for tunneling rock, includ' ing main fuel and airconducting pipes, a. hollow head, upper and lower alining pivot devicesupon the head, said head being shiftable about the axis of the pivotdevices and into and out of operative relation to the surface to beacted upon, the working face of the head having a plurality of minuteapertures, a fuel pipe opening into the head, a valve for controllingthe passage of fuel therethrough, an air pipe opening into the head,said fuel and air pipes being movable with the head, and flexible pipeconnections between the movable fuel and air pipes and the main fuel andair pipes respectively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, .l have heretoaiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY F. SUTTON.

Witnesses F. C. N. Gannon, JOHN J. Hugues.

